Damen introduces Twin Axe wind farm support vessel

Damen Shipyards, Gorinchem, Netherlands, is currently finalizing the first "Twin Axe" catamaran designed to provide a wide range of support services tooffshore wind farms in the widest sense. It says that its High Speed Support Vessel 2610 is one of the most innovative design concepts it has developed in the last decade.

Although the "Axe Bow" concept has been developed some five years ago with great commercial success, the "Twin Axe" offers a more stable platform within the 24 m load line.

Compared to "conventional" catamarans with the same displacement the new concept offers peak accelerations reduced by up to 75 percent, calm water resistance reduced by up to 15 percent and added resistance in waves reduced by up to 60 percent.

The first HSSV 2610 will be introduced during "Seawork 2011" in Southampton, England (June 14 – 16 ). Next month, the vessel will be subject to a test program to verify the actual performance against the predictions and model tests.

Special features of this design are:

front fendering designed for impact speeds over 3 knots without damage to the ship's structure